Press ESC to close

What is Super Computer

Super Computer is a high-performance computer that is designed to solve complex problems and perform large-scale computations at extremely fast speeds. These machines are typically built using thousands of processors and vast amounts of memory, and are used in fields such as scientific research, engineering, weather forecasting, and cryptography.

Super computer can perform billions or even trillions of calculations per second, making them ideal for tasks that require a massive amount of computing power. They are often used for simulations of complex physical phenomena, such as climate modeling or nuclear fusion research, as well as for data analysis and machine learning applications.

Typically housed in specialized facilities and require significant power and cooling resources to operate. They can be built using a variety of technologies, including custom processors, graphics processing units (GPUs), and field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs).

History of Super Computer

The history dates back to the 1960s, when the first machines were developed for scientific and military applications. Here are some key milestones in the development of super computer:

The First Supercomputer: In 1964, Seymour Cray designed the CDC 6600, which is considered the first supercomputer. The CDC 6600 had a peak performance of 3 million floating-point operations per second (FLOPS) and was used for a wide range of scientific applications.

Advances in Vector Processing: In the 1970s and 1980s, super computer continued to advance with the development of vector processing, which allowed multiple calculations to be performed simultaneously. This led to machines such as the Cray-1 and Cray-2, which had peak performances of up to 1.9 gigaflops (billion FLOPS).

Parallel Processing: In the 1990s, super computer began to use parallel processing, in which multiple processors work together to perform calculations. This led to systems such as the IBM SP2 and the Cray T3D, which had peak performances of up to 1 teraflop (trillion FLOPS).

Massively Parallel Processing: In the 2000s, supercomputers continued to evolve with the development of massively parallel processing, which allowed thousands of processors to work together. This led to systems such as the Earth Simulator in Japan and the Blue Gene/L in the United States, which had peak performances of up to 280 teraflops.

Exascale Computing: In the 2010s and beyond, the focus has been on developing supercomputers capable of performing at least one exaflop (quintillion FLOPS) of calculations. Several countries, including China, Japan, and the United States, have announced plans to build exascale systems in the coming years.

Super Computer Used For

It used for a wide range of applications that require extremely high levels of computational power and speed. Some of the most common uses of supercomputers include:

Scientific Research: They are used extensively in scientific research, including simulations of physical phenomena such as climate modeling, molecular dynamics, and astrophysics.

Engineering: Here they are used in engineering to simulate and optimize the design of complex structures such as aircraft, automobiles, and buildings.

Data Analysis: Here they are used to process and analyze large amounts of data in fields such as finance, healthcare, and social sciences.

Artificial Intelligence: Here they are used to train and run complex artificial intelligence and machine learning models for a variety of applications, including image and speech recognition, natural language processing, and robotics.

How Fast Is Super Computer

Super Computers are among the fastest and most powerful computing systems in the world, capable of performing calculations at an extraordinary rate. The speed of a supercomputer is typically measured in terms of its processing power, which is measured in floating-point operations per second (FLOPS).

As of 2021, the fastest supercomputers in the world can perform tens of petaflops (quadrillions of FLOPS) of calculations per second. To put this in perspective, a single petaflop is equivalent to one quadrillion (10^15) floating-point operations per second. These machines are built using tens of thousands of processors, each of which is capable of performing multiple calculations simultaneously.

The fastest super computer in the world are typically used for scientific simulations, data analysis, and other high-performance computing applications. They are housed in specialized facilities and require massive amounts of power and cooling to operate.

One of the most notable trends in recent years has been the growing use of accelerators, such as graphics processing units (GPUs) and field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), to boost computing performance. These technologies can significantly increase the speed of supercomputers, allowing them to perform calculations even faster than before.

What’s The Fastest Super Computer

The fastest super computer in the world is the Fugaku system in Japan. Developed jointly by RIKEN and Fujitsu, the Fugaku system is capable of performing 442 quadrillion (442 petaflops) floating-point operations per second, making it more than three times faster than the second-fastest system on the Top500 list.

The Fugaku system is built using a custom processor designed specifically for high-performance computing. The processor, called A64FX, is a 48-core Arm CPU that is capable of performing both scalar and vector calculations simultaneously. The system also includes more than 7.5 million cores, 32 petabytes of memory, and a high-speed network that connects the various components.

The Fugaku system is being used for a variety of applications, including simulations of climate change, drug discovery, and disaster prevention. It is also being used to simulate the spread of the COVID-19 virus and to develop new treatments for the disease.

the Fugaku system represents a significant milestone in supercomputing, pushing the boundaries of what is possible in terms of computing speed and power. As technology continues to evolve, it is likely that even faster and more powerful systems will be developed, enabling even more ambitious scientific and computational applications.

Top 5 Super Computer Name

The most well-known and powerful super computer in recent years include:

Fugaku: Developed jointly by RIKEN and Fujitsu, the Fugaku system in Japan is currently the fastest supercomputer in the world, with a peak performance of over 442 petaflops.

Summit: Located at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee, USA, Summit was the fastest supercomputer in the world before being surpassed by Fugaku. It is currently the second-fastest system in the world, with a peak performance of over 148 petaflops.

Sierra: Also located at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee, Sierra is the third-fastest system in the world, with a peak performance of over 94 petaflops.

Sunway TaihuLight: Built by China’s National Research Center of Parallel Computer Engineering and Technology, Sunway TaihuLight was the fastest supercomputer in the world for several years before being surpassed by Summit. It is currently the fourth-fastest system in the world, with a peak performance of over 93 petaflops.

Tianhe-2A: Developed by China’s National University of Defense Technology, Tianhe-2A is currently the fifth-fastest supercomputer in the world, with a peak performance of over 61 petaflops.

Conclusion

Super computer is essential for tackling some of the most challenging problems facing science, industry, and society today, and is expected to play an increasingly important role in the future.

Nagarjun Lingayat

digital blogger - a digital content creation @ content puran

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *